A microorganism of the genus Corynebacterium can utilize organic acids such as gluconate, acetate, and pyruvate, as well as glucose, sucrose, and fructose, as a carbon source. Among these, acetate, which is an organic acid belonging to monocarboxylic acids, is introduced into cells by passive diffusion or monocarboxylic acid transporter (MctC) when utilized by a microorganism of the genus Corynebacterium, phosphorylated by acetate kinase (ackA) to be converted into acetyl phosphate, and formed into acetyl-CoA by phosphotransacetylase (pta). The thus-formed acetyl-CoA is immediately introduced into the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and glyoxylate cycle (J. Bacteriol. 2009. 191: 940-948), and thereby oxaloacetate, which is a precursor of lysine, is formed.
However, when a strain of the genus Corynebacterium is cultured using acetate as a sole or mixed carbon source, there is a problem in that a growth inhibition phenomenon may occur according to its concentration. Acetate has been known to have limitations in that its metabolic rate is low compared to that of saccharides such as glucose, and also, since acetate can inhibit cell growth when it is present in a certain concentration in a cell, the increase of acetate concentration in a culture medium can increase the lag phase, thereby delaying the entire culture time (Arch. Microbiol. 1991. 155: 505-510). Accordingly, there is a need for the development of a method for rapidly converting the acetate in a culture medium into acetyl-CoA in a cell.
However, acetate kinase and phosphotransacetylase, which are used in the pathway of acetate activation, have a bidirectionality (a reversible reaction) and thus there is a problem in that acetyl-CoA may be converted again into acetate, and there is also a report that these may have a negative effect on the production of L-lysine. Therefore, the development of a method for effectively utilizing acetate still remains inactive.